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It was only fairly recently that I decided to create a Twitter account. Before, I really didn’t feel the need to get into the whole Twitter craze. I didn’t understand how something so simple could be so addicting for many people.

It took a several classes in our Communications and Trends classes, a couple of testimonials from close friends, and some communication blogs to convince me to at least give Twitter a shot. And, here I am! Not a total addict, mind you. But, I do get the strict need to tweet every now and then.

One of my friends asked me why I was so gung-ho about Twitter. I couldn’t answer him coherently, so I decided to list down my reasons for liking Twitter in the hopes that he’ll give it a shot too.

1: Simplistic

I find it to be one if not the most simple SNS out there. The appearance of your profile is easy to tweak. It’s just 140 characters every time. You can choose to follow whoever you wish with just the click of a button. And when fed up with someone, you can also “unfollow” someone that easily. You can post links to vids, pics and articles without unnecessary graphics or add-ons.

2. It is public yet private at the same time.

Since Twitter is microblogging at it’s best, you post things that you want people to know about yourself. It’s public in that sense. But unlike other Social Networking or Microblogging sites, in Twitter it’s more private due to the fact that you can choose to protect your tweets, and you can have control over who can follow you.

In addition, I personally feel that when I post things in Twitter, I’m better heard than in Facebook. This was actually the main reason why I decided to create a Twitter account. In Twitter I feel free to express myself whether I’m feeling emo, happy, sad, angry or what.

3. Fast

Comments, replies and retweets are fast. You immediately see in your page if someone has replied to a post. It’s also that easy to retweet something that you think is great or something that your contacts should know. You may also send messages to celebrities, and see for yourself if they respond.

4. I’m more updated with the news.

Honestly speaking, I am a bit apathetic when it comes to current events. I don’t read the newspaper or watch the news that often. But with Twitter, I can choose to follow News Organizations like Inquirer, GMA-News and even CNN. With their tweets I get to know the latest news in the Philippines as well as in other parts of the world. And, if I’m curious enough, I can read the whole articles by simply clicking on the links provided in the tweets.

More than current events, I can also be updated with news about my favorite TV shows/series. Most series have their own Twitter where they post new season announcements, special events, and sometimes even sneak peeks of upcoming episodes.

5. The 140 characters limit.

The 140 characters limit makes me think more. It might sound weird but I find that the character limit trains me to say what I want to say in a concise yet profound way. I often tell my friends that it feels like I’m producing a copy for an ad when I post in Twitter.

6. Trends

Twitter allows you to use hashtags. Hashtags are those things that you see with the # sign before them. These tags allow people to track tweets about different topics on twitter. When a certain hashtag is being used a lot, and at regular times, it becomes a trend. You may choose to participate by posting tweets related to the trends, and see what others have to say.

My favorite trend is the #sentisabado trend. It’s a Filipino trend that other countries have begun following. Sentisabado happens every Saturday, and there is usually a theme in what to feel sentimental about. The theme can be childhood treats or fiesta foods or first love.

7. Quotable quotes from interesting people.

There are so many interesting people to follow on Twitter. You can choose to follow quirky or eccentric local stars, or even comedy cartoon characters like Homer Simpson. I like Twitter because you get to see other peoples’ opinions about anything and everything. It’s more fun when you can relate to a statement. You find “quotable quotes” which you can choose to retweet, or use in your other SNS or even statements that you want to make your new life motto or mantra for the week.

8. Therapeutic

Whatever emotion I’m feeling, I can let it out on Twitter. When the feeling is negative, it’s great to share that to other people. When the emotion is negative such as stress or sadness or anger, I feel that Twitter gives me that feeling of Catharsis or purging. Plus, my friends sometimes make me feel better on Twitter which cheers me up.

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All in all, Twitter is great! I think I’d be tweeting for a long time.

5 Responses to “8 Reasons Why I Like Twitter”

The trend feature of Twitter has to be my favorite among those you’ve mentioned here. With Twitter trends, I can stay updated on what’s happening or ‘trending’ with the rest of the human population. I remember the time when Vuvuzela was consistently topping the Twitter trend list and I had no clue what it was. I searched for it and found out that it was this wind instrument that makes this irritating sound. My point is, the Twitter trend feature makes me less of an ignorant person. HAHA

like you, i also like twitter for the feeling, strangely or not, that i’m just conversing with my twitter friends. Facebook is starting to feel like a promo website to me, where you put nothing but all the best thing about you. And because of the “network,” I feel there’s just too many people I’m dealing with.

On twitter, with only about 100 friends, I feel much better at the idea of conversations online. without the lure of photos and nonsensical updates, i learn more about people by their tweets.

I think twitter is more personal in nature than facebook. Maybe because Facebook is getting too crowded now that I feel like whatever I post is getting too public even though I have strict privacy settings. In Twitter, conversations are more engaging and yes, personal.

twitter is heaven sent!
I created mine with the intention of updating myself with the news whether it’s Philippine-related or fandom-related. I got so much more from it than that! The twitter accounts I decided to follow have helped me widen my reach (in terms of getting more information) a little more.